Not a ray of sunlight speared the darkness of Loke's bedroom as he laid awake, staring at the ceiling. It was a little after 6 in the morning; the bright red numbers of his alarm clock glowed in the darkness. Mistress had left hours earlier, slinking back into the night and taking Caelum with her. He didn't want to focus on what she had done to him; couldn't face the pain, the humiliation, or the anguish. Mostly, he couldn't face what he had been commanded to do.

Time was up. For her. For him.

"Next time, I'm chaining you to the couch," Richard said, entering the safe house with his medical bag in tow.

Natsu rolled his eyes, noting how his driver became cheekier the less capable Natsu was of hitting him.

"Sure, go ahead," Natsu grumbled as Richard lifted him off the ground. "But don't complain when you see what happens to you if you do."

"Threat noted sir," Richard chuckled as he took extra care in placing Natsu in a comfortable sitting position. "Now let's see what damage you did to yourself last night while you were uh…" he trailed off, eyes scanning the wreckage of the room, trying to figure out what had happened.

The safe house was a wreck. Natsu's antics last night had broken the table, flipped the recliner on its side, shattered a lamp, and strewn about random items across the floor. Richard scratched his head, probably wondering how someone so wounded could cause such damage.

"You didn't bring Levy back here, did you?" Natsu asked, his gaze kept going back to the door half expecting to see the blue whirlwind running through it.

"After last night, I figured you didn't want her anywhere near this place." Richard grabbed his stethoscope from his bag and placed the cool metal circle on Natsu's chest. "Deep breath now."

"Fuck off," Natsu grumbled, but did as he was instructed. He breathed in deep, filling his lungs with oxygen and breathed out. He did this three more times before Richard was satisfied.

"Huh," Richard frowned, letting the stethoscope rest around his neck as he continued on with the examination. Without another word, Richard checked Natsu's bandages, his frown deepened as he removed the bloody strips. The long knife cuts were now small, pale pink lines on Natsu's skin. "Everything looks fine—surprisingly."

"Next time I'll work on being more of an invalid for you," Natsu deadpanned.

Richard shook his head. "No, I mean you've healed at an incredible speed. Your organs are functioning normally and there doesn't seem to be any major damage to your body. For someone who nearly had their entire blood supply emptied out of him, this shouldn't be possible. Even your wounds, though shallow to begin with…" His words trailed off as he examined the wound on his arm. Natsu watched Richard shake his head in disbelief. "It's like yesterday never happened."

It's like yesterday never happened. A voice echoed in Natsu's mind followed by a quick array of images that flashed behind his eyes. The glint on a knife. A shadow looming. Flames burning.

Natsu gasped as a sharp pain laced through his head. He bent over, cradling his head in his hands. It felt like his brain was being split in two.

Richard's forehead wrinkled as his brows knitted together in confusion. "Are you in any pain?"

"No," Natsu answered slowly, trying not to sound winded. The pain lifted, disappearing as suddenly as it came. "I feel fine."

Richard eyed him for a moment. His medic gaze assessing him. "I would still recommend you take things slow. No more of," he motioned to the mess around the safe house, "whatever this was."

"Sure, doc." Natsu smirked before jumping to his feet. "Alright, let's go."

"G-go?" Richard sputtered. "Didn't you hear me?"

"Yeah." The leather jacket Natsu always wore was lying on the floor. He swiped it from the ground and shrugged it on. The right arm was missing from it—a causality from yesterday's battle. Annoyed, Natsu shoved his hands into its pockets. "Damn. I'll have to pay that bastard back for that," he grumbled under his breath. Turning back to Richard he pointed to the door.

"Grab the car, I'll meet you out front."

"But sir—" Before Richard could protest further, Natsu silenced him with a look. Richard nodded, grabbed his medical bag. "Of course, sir."

When he heard the door close, Natsu went to the bathroom in the back of the safe house and stared into the mirror. The cuts on his face were all but healed, the bruising just faded spots on his skin. Barely noticeable unless you were looking for them.

He looked at the wound on his arm and lifted his shirt to see the wound on his side. He touched both tenderly. There was barely a hint of pain. Natsu frowned at himself in the mirror. The wounds he had received in the past had never healed so quickly before.

It's like yesterday never happened.

"What was that?" He whispered to his reflection. The images were fuzzy in his mind. He tried to make them out, but the more he tried the fuzzier they became until he couldn't remember them at all. Thankfully, the pain in his head hadn't reappeared.

"It doesn't matter," Natsu said aloud, breaking from the mirror and striding toward the door. He grabbed his phone from the table and sent Lucy a quick text with the meetup information. There was only one thing he had time to focus on.

The lights in the waiting room buzzed overhead. People huddled in groups in the hard plastic chairs. Some bent over styrofoam cups of bad coffee, nursing their drinks quietly. Some glanced anxiously at the clock, worried eyes glued to the large white face and black ticking hands - but time seemed to move sluggishly here.

Lucy hated hospitals. It brought up bad memories from her childhood. Seeing her mother grow pale and withering in one of the too clean rooms. It was her father's decision to let her mother live out her final months at home, hiring a team of personal nurses and doctors to make her last days as comfortable as possible —regardless of how few days there were.

The hospital's visiting hours opened at 8am. Lucy arrived at the front doors right on the dot. Groups of other patients' family members were waiting at the doors as well. Despite her punctual arrival, she had been waiting for over an hour to see Aries. The receptionist was supposed to let Lucy know when she could go in. Instead, the receptionist had been chatting with her coworkers all morning.

Lucy's foot tapped nervously on the tiled floor. She took a breath of the sterilized air to try and calm her frustrations and nearly gagged. No matter how hard the hospitals tried, there was always the smell of death lingering in the air. Before she gave herself over to her nerves, Lucy chugged the rest of the black coffee she had poured herself earlier. The coffee, if it could even be called that, was ice cold and tasted like black sludge that stuck in her throat. She couldn't prevent herself from gagging this time.

"Excuse me." Lucy smiled brightly at the receptionist when she reached the front counter.

The woman turned away from her conversation facing Lucy with an expressionless stare. "How can I help you, miss?"

"Could you please tell me how much longer it will be before I can see my friend, Aries Gold?" Lucy asked, trying to keep her impatience out of her tone.

"We will call you when you can go in." The woman gave the same monotonous response she had given Lucy earlier this morning. That had been an hour ago and there was still no call or even an update. The receptionist was already turning her attention back to her previous conversation, almost completely dismissing Lucy as she said, "Please enjoy some complimentary coffee while you wait."

Lucy forced herself not to grimace as she felt bile rise in her throat at the mention of the hospital's coffee. Undeterred by the receptionist's dismissal, Lucy cleared her throat loudly. The receptionist turned back around, a tight smile on her face that might as well have been a middle finger.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?" The woman asked a little too brightly.

"Yes," Lucy said, pointing to the screen. "You could actually look up my friend's name and tell me when I can go and see her."

The receptionist's eye twitched, and the tight smile she wore wilted into a grimace. She typed Aries's name into the system and looked smugly at Lucy.

"Would you look at that," the receptionist turned the screen so Lucy could see. "Looks like this patient isn't accepting any visitors. Doctor's orders. Ah, too bad for you."

"Wait, did something happen to Aries? Did her condition worsen?" Lucy leaned over the counter trying to gather what information she could from the screen. The receptionist turned the screen back to face her, cutting off Lucy's view. "Wait—"

"We're not allowed to give out a patient's information unless you're a family member…" she trailed off. When Lucy didn't confirm she was a family member, the receptionist smirked. "Ah, you're not a family member? Shoot. Well there's nothing I can do. You can continue to wait and see if the doctor lifts the order. We'll call you when you can go and see your friend. So why don't you grab yourself a cup of—"

"I'll come back tomorrow then." Lucy cut her off. She didn't know if she could handle hearing another offer to drink tire oil. Shooting a strained smile at the receptionist, Lucy turned away, feeling dejected.

I need to make sure Aries is okay. She turned back to the receptionist and cleared her throat once more to get the woman's attention. The receptionist gave her a look that could kill, but Lucy ignored it. "Could you please tell me where I can find the restroom?"

The woman didn't even speak, just pointed toward a hallway to the left. Lucy murmured a thank you as she left the receptionist counter and headed in the direction the woman had indicated. Once she was out of sight, Lucy picked up her pace, walking briskly past the restroom. Although it was a brief glance, she had managed to catch the room Aries was staying in when the receptionist had turned the computer screen toward her to gloat.

It didn't make sense to Lucy why Aries was suddenly not allowed to have visitors. They had kept her here just for observation, but now her friend was on lockdown? Four months ago, Lucy would have shrugged this off. She would have believed what she had been told and suppressed any doubts. Now, she couldn't cast her doubts aside. The time she had spent in the Underworld had made Lucy suspicious of everything.

Two doctors came out of a room, both more concerned with the papers on their clipboards than her. However, Lucy slowed her steps to avoid suspicion. She smiled at them as they passed her but they took no notice of her. Sighing, Lucy resumed her brisk walk, hurrying to reach Aries. Turning the corner, her haste caused her to collide into a nurse carrying a tray. She felt a cold liquid splash against her from the collision. Looking down, Lucy saw a large brown stain covering her blouse.

"Oh no!" The nurse exclaimed as she caught her balance and saw the mess. "I'm so sorry ma'am. I was rushing to clean out the old coffee in the other waiting area and I didn't see you as I turned the corner."

Thank goodness it's just coffee, Lucy sighed to herself.

"No worries, it was my fault. I was in a hurry to see my friend. She's expecting me and I didn't want to keep her waiting because she gets anxious when she's in the hospital." Lucy figured mixing the truth with a lie might help her story. "I should get going, but I'll be more careful this time."

"Ma'am, please wait." The nurse stopped Lucy before she could walk away. "Your friend, what room is she in? I can walk you there. It's the least I can do for spilling old coffee on you."

"There's no need. I don't want to take you away from your work." Lucy tried to walk away but the nurse stopped her again.

"Please," she said, patting Lucy on the shoulder. "I insist. Now, what is your friend's name and what room are we looking for?"

It was clear the nurse wasn't going to let Lucy continue on alone. She could lie, make up a patient and give out another room. But Lucy doubted the nurse would be fooled. "Aries Gold. Room Z-01," she relented.

The nurse paused, frowning slightly at Lucy. "I'm sorry, but the receptionist should have told you. The doctor has ordered no visitors for that patient. You'll have to come back another day."

"I just..." Lucy trailed off, feeling defeated. She couldn't even sneak in properly to see her friend. "Can you at least tell me if she's alright? Aries is a dear friend of mine and I'm so worried about her."

The nurse shook her head slightly before bundling Lucy into a hug. "You dear little lamb," she cooed as she patted Lucy's back gently. "Enough of that worry now. You can rest assured everything will be alright. Nurse Angel is personally looking after your sweet friend."

Nurse Angel led Lucy back to the reception area, reassuring Lucy that the hospital staff is doing everything they can for Aries. "I'll tell you what," Angel smiled brightly at Lucy. "I can't let you see Aries, but I can deliver a message to her if you would like. Since she's one of my patient's, I'll happily deliver it to her personally."

"That's too kind of you." Lucy rummaged through her bag and pulled a pen and a scrap of paper. She hastily scribbled a note to Aries, letting her friend know that she was here and would see her as soon as the doctors would allow it. "This really means a lot to me, thank you Angel."

"My pleasure…"

"Lucy." Lucy held out her hand to Angel, realizing she never introduced herself. "Lucy Heartfilia."

Angel grabbed her hand and shook it. "It warms my heart knowing my patient has such a caring friend like you." She held up Lucy's note and smiled. "I'll make sure Aries gets your message. Now go on and don't worry about your friend. I'll take great care of her."

With a wave and one more brilliant smile, Lucy watched Angel return to work sadly. It was reassuring to know that Aries had a kind nurse looking after her, but Lucy couldn't help the uneasy feeling she felt about everything.

I'll just have to try again tomorrow, she thought. Her purse started vibrating and Lucy dug into her bag as she walked toward the entrance.

"Lu!" Levy's cheerful voice chimed on the other end. "How's Aries?"

"I wasn't able to see her," Lucy admitted, the glass doors of the entrance sliding open for her. Once outside, she stepped to the curb, raising her hand to hail a cab. "The doctor put a ban on visitors, which has me worried. They only kept her overnight for observation, but what if something happened?"

"Calm down, Lu. You don't know if something bad happened. The doctor might be banning visitors in order to finish running tests or something," Levy reasoned. "If you're going back tomorrow, I'll come with you."

"Thank you, Levy." Levy's words calmed her down a bit. That would make sense. A cab pulled up and Lucy ducked inside. She gave her address to the cab driver and tossed one last glance back toward the hospital. I haven't given up, Aries.

Despite Angel's reassurance and Levy's words of reason, the nagging sensation that something was wrong wouldn't go away. Was she being too paranoid? Had the Underworld made her too wary of everything? Maybe so, but Lucy knew her unease wouldn't disappear until she saw Aries for herself.

"I'm heading over to grab breakfast now," Levy continued. Lucy could hear her friend walking down the street on the other end. "A great carb-filled meal and some coffee is what you need."

At the mention of coffee, Lucy perked up. The cup of sludge she drank at the hospital had left a bad taste in her mouth along with the dismal morning. It didn't help that she was wearing the coffee as well. "Sounds great! I need to head home and change. I'll meet you at the usual spot?"

"See you soon!" Levy said before hanging up the call.

The cab pulled up to her building and Lucy paid the cab driver. She rushed into the elevator, digging into her bag for her keys. When Lucy had first met Levy, they would often meet at Central Park and spend the early morning hours going over her manuscript and swapping book recommendations. Lucy was excited to see her friend and just have a few hours of easy conversation for once. When she reached her door, Lucy slotted her key into the lock-but before she could turn it, the door creaked open on its own.

Immediately, Lucy's body tensed, going on alert. She positioned one of her keys between her knuckle, pushing the door open further and entering. The lights were on and there were no signs of any initial theft. Her phone vibrated in her purse but she ignored it. She crept into her living room and paused.

"Loke?"

The first thing Natsu did when he got back to his apartment was shower. He scrubbed his body hard, trying to erase any lingering hints of his recent battle. He was going to see Lucy tonight and he didn't want her knowing about the dangers lurking around her. Or her friends.

Natsu heard a distinct pop over the running water and froze. You have got to be kidding me!

Getting out of the shower, he quickly toweled off and threw on briefs and black joggers. He stormed out of his bedroom into his kitchen where he knew exactly who had paid him an unexpected visit. Again.

"Cana, how many times do I have to tell you?" Natsu sighed as he watched his older sister tip back a bottle of wine. "You can't just drop in without calling me first."

There was too much to worry about without adding his family to the list. Natsu tried to seem relaxed, but Cana's sudden appearance was bad timing. Fuck. Why is she here?

Cana rolled her eyes at him as she set the bottle down. "As your older sister, it's my right to check in on you whenever I want. It's a sacred privilege we older siblings have."

"Right," Natsu deadpanned as he swiped the bottle from her.

"Hey, I was drinking that," Cana protested as she made a grab for the bottle, but Natsu just stepped back.

"It's not even noon," Natsu pointed out.

"Ever heard of grape juice?" she countered, arching a brow as she held out her hand.

"Cana, what are you doing here?" There wasn't time to deal with her politely. Natsu needed her to leave the city before she got caught up in his mess. He also didn't want his sister snooping around trying to find Lucy. Things were already too complicated without throwing Cana into the mix.

The flask Cana always kept on her was in her hand in a flash. She unscrewed the cap and drank heavily from it while fixing Natsu with a pointed look. He knew taking the wine from her had pissed her off, but if it helped to get her to leave, Natsu didn't mind.

"I came here to try and get you to join your family for Christmas," Cana said, her tone revealing just how annoyed at him she was. "Our dads will feel hurt if you're not there."

Natsu laughed at that. "You know we're not that kind of family."

"Okay, true." Cana chuckled too as she screwed the top of her flask back on. "Did you at least get them something to smooth the ache of your absence?" The sarcasm clung to her words like the wine on her breath.

"I'll make a note to send over a gift for everyone. There's still time." Natsu shrugged, putting the wine on the counter.

"Time?" Cana tilted her head at Natsu, giving him a quizzical look. "But Christmas is tomorrow."

What? Natsu was sure there was still time. After all, no matter how busy he had been in the past, he always made sure to remember his family during the holidays. He took out his phone, trying to stealthily check the date. To his horror, Cana was right. It was Christmas Eve and he had nothing for his family.

Coming off the mission the Organization had given him to the Underworld mess he was trying to protect Lucy from, Natsu had lost track of the days. His focus had been on protecting Lucy and stopping the mysterious Underworld Boss's plan; there hadn't been room to focus on anything else. Or anyone else.

"Shit! Cana I—"

"Grab your wallet," Cana said as she snatched the wine bottle from the counter. Natsu didn't even try to stop her. "And put some more clothes on little bro. We're going shopping."

"But I—"

"Shhh." Cana wagged her finger in front of him as she shushed him. "You weren't about to tell me you're too busy to go Christmas shopping for your family despite ditching on yet another family holiday, were you?"

Natsu frowned and looked away. "Give me a second," he mumbled as he left the kitchen.

His sister smiled triumphantly as she tipped back the bottle, taking a long victorious drink. It was hard to argue with Cana. Natsu had been a bit more distant with his family lately. And they didn't deserve that. Not after all they've done for him.

Levy was monitoring things with Lucy and she would call him if the enemy made a move. Plus, he would see Lucy later tonight. Spending a few hours with Cana wouldn't hurt. Especially, since he couldn't meet up with his family any time soon. It would also mean his sister would get out of the city faster if he could keep an eye on her.

—

The horde of last-minute shoppers was a nightmare to navigate. Everyone pushed against one another in crowded department stores, arms reaching out to snatch the final items on their gift lists. Cash flew between hands and cards were swiped to the max as shoppers bundled their newly purchased toys, jewelry, clothes, electronics, and the rest of their brightly wrapped gifts under their arms. Christmas Eve was a frenzy of activity in New York City.

Natsu struggled under the load of gifts Cana had picked out for their family. She held his credit card in her hand, letting it guide her luxurious taste as they ventured in and out of stores. He only stopped her once as she tried to buy a yacht for herself, fully stocked with wine of course. After hours of shopping, Cana had finally tired of spending his money on gifts and wanted to spend it on wine.

The siblings sat together, enjoying a late lunch at Natsu's restaurant Etherion. Cana was already on her second bottle of wine by the time the appetizers were cleared away. Hammond nearly ran between the bar and their table to make sure Cana's glass was always full. Her tolerance was still something that amazed Natsu—not that he would ever admit it.

It was great hearing stories about his family and what they've been up to. Natsu couldn't remember the last time he had seen them. The thought made the food sour in his mouth. His family had never made him feel guilty over the distance he put between himself and them. Cana teased but there wasn't resentment behind her words. Natsu knew his family would always be waiting for him.

"—together."

Natsu blinked, clearing his thoughts away. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

Cana smiled softly, a rare moment where her impish grin disappeared. She sat her wine glass down and reached out across the table to grab his hand. "I said this was a nice day. And I wish the dads were here too. It's just been a while since we were all together."

Guilt laced through Natsu. His family was extremely important to him, but between his job, working for the Organization, and now, protecting Lucy, he hadn't seen much of them. He would call occasionally when things were quiet but as Cana had said, it had been a while since everyone had been together.

He needed to do better.

"Yeah, this had been a nice day." Despite the hell of the last few days, Cana's presence almost made him forget the misery he had been through. Almost. He still had his guard up, his body alert for any possible attack.

"Well, maybe you could fly in with me tonight. I have our plane ready at JFK. You—"

"Cana." Natsu tried to interrupt but his sister pushed on.

"—don't have to stay the whole time, just a few days." She squeezed his hand tighter, her voice edged with a thrilling plea. "We could show up together and surprise our dads! No one cares about gifts, they just care about—"

"I'm not going, Cana." Natsu looked away, not sure he could handle seeing her disappointment. "There's still something I have to do here."

Cana let go of his hand, sliding hers back to cradle the stem of her wine glass like a wounded animal retreating to safety. "Looks like the wine is talking," she chuckled softly before holding up her glass towards him.

Natsu glanced back at her, seeing Cana's impish grin returned but her eyes were laced with a sadness not even she could mask. "Since I won't get a chance to say this tomorrow, Merry Christmas, Natsu!"

Natsu smiled sadly, picking up his own glass and clinking with hers. "Merry Christmas, Cana."

—

"This has to be a small fortune," Natsu grumbled as he tossed the last of the gifts into the backseat of the Uber, slamming the trunk closed before the gifts could spill out.

"Hmmm," Cana shuffled through her purse. "Believe me, there's nothing small about the number you'll see on your credit card bill. Mira will surely need a drinking buddy when she sees the damage you did in one day."

Natsu rolled his eyes. "Thanks for that headache," he said as he snatched his credit card from her hand as soon as she pulled it out of her purse.

Cana ruffled his hair lightly before he swatted her hand away. "What are big sisters for?" She turned to duck inside the car, but turned back around and wrapped him into a hug.

"Cana—"

She didn't let him go, just hugged him tighter. Natsu was surprised. They weren't really an affectionate family. Well, Gildarts showed enough affection for the entire family, but this was out of character for his sister. She normally showed her affection by getting you drunk. Did something happen?

"Remember," she spoke softly, her voice uncharacteristically serious. "Don't try to bear everything alone, little brother. You have a family that wants to protect your happiness too."

Before he could say anything, Cana let him go and ducked into the Uber, the door shutting behind her. The car pulled away from the curb, Cana waving to him, flask already in hand. Natsu raised his hand in farewell, watching after her, feeling sad at the departure but more relieved she was leaving. He couldn't focus on trying to protect her and Lucy from this new threat.

Looking at his watch, Natsu realized it had gotten late. It was near the time he was supposed to meet Lucy. There was barely enough time to run home and grab what he needed. He flagged down a taxi and gave the driver his address and two crisp hundred dollar bills as an incentive to ignore red lights.

Cana's words still lingered in his mind. He frowned as he looked out the window. Asking his family for help? He had no right to do such a thing. His family had already sacrificed too much for him. They paid a debt that he could never repay, even if he lived a 100 lifetimes over.

—

Natsu checked his watch. The cab driver had made exceptional time and he had made it home faster than he thought.

"$35.18, sir." The cabbie stared out of his window blankly, his eyes already searching the sidewalks for another potential fair.

"You have a family, right?" Natsu asked as he reached into his coat for his wallet.

At the mention of his family, some life returned to the cab driver's eyes. "Yes." The man smiled. "A wife and three children."

"Call it a night then." Natsu handed the man a large stack of 100 dollar bills. "Merry Christmas."

The cab driver spluttered as he stared at the money in his hand and back at Natsu. Before the cab driver could protest such a generous tip, Natsu ducked out of the car. The cab driver deserved the tip. And the gesture also helped to ease some of the guilt Natsu felt toward his own family. Even if it was only a little.

The elevator doors opened onto his floor. He fished his keys out of his pocket and entered his empty apartment. Natsu paused for a moment in his entryway, listening for the distinct sound of a cork pop. When silence was all he heard, he sighed with relief and flicked on the lights.

A Christmas tree was tucked into a corner and illuminated the moment Natsu turned on the lights. The six ft pine was decorated with a mixture of glittering ornaments and wooden ones. Bright strings of lights roped around the branches made the entire thing glisten. Colorful wrapped presents were tucked under the tree, spilling out around it. A star sparkled on the top, crowning the festiveness.

His eyes roamed around the space and everywhere there was a touch of Christmas. Garlands were draped across the mantle of his fireplace where a loan stocking hung. Christmas cookies in the shapes of stars and snowflakes were piled on a plate next to a glass of milk. Wreaths hung from the doors and more Christmas lights were strung overhead.

It was like the holiday exploded in his apartment.

"Cana," Natsu whispered as he looked around his apartment, taking it all in. He spied a note on the counter next to an unopened bottle of wine. He picked it up and instantly recognized the scrawling script that made up his sister's handwriting.

"Blame Mira. Happy Christmas, little bro. XOXO Cana"

Natsu sighed as he leaned against his counter. He really needed to restrict Mira's access to his things. Cana and Mira were a terrifying duo. But as he looked at his apartment, at the lights, the colors, he felt the warmth of his sister's actions.

"Shit, I got to go," Natsu swore as he glanced at his watch. He needed to get what he came back here for and leave.

The living room wall that his apartment shared with the unit next door looked ordinary enough. A flat-screen was mounted to the wall, along with random decor pieces Mira had picked out for the space. Natsu grabbed the remote resting on the coffee table and pressed a 4 digit code while aiming it at the tv.

The TV flashed on and the living room wall began to shift backward, revealing the space beyond it. Natsu walked through the opening and into what was supposed to be the empty unit next door. Instead, Natsu had turned it into an armory. Privacy was just one of the reasons Natsu had Mira purchase all the units on the floor. If Natsu was going to move to New York, he needed a functioning base.

Grabbing two small handguns, Natsu tucked one into his waistband and the other into his coat pocket. He strapped on some knives as well, for good measure. The enemy had been quiet today but who knows what they were planning for tonight once he was alone with Lucy.

The thought of being alone with her made Natsu freeze. This was it. Within the hour, he would see her and tell her all the things he had kept hidden in his heart. His hands started to sweat and his heart beat faster.

Natsu was nervous.

He shook his head and walked further into his armory. He had to get a grip on himself. Lucy wasn't even here and he was already acting this way. Losing his cool in front of her wouldn't do. Especially since this wasn't how he had planned to tell her.

Exactly 17 ½ steps from the entry was an eyelet. Natsu made sure the same security system in his flat in London was installed in this apartment. He bent down and pressed his thumb to the center of the eyelet. It scanned his thumb and pricked his skin for a blood sample. Upon approval, a panel slid away and revealed the small velvet box he planned to give to Lucy.

He grabbed it and held it in his hands carefully. It was a long time ago, but Natsu could still remember his birth father handing him the box for the first time.

Do you know what a man's greatest treasure is? His father had asked him as he opened the box and whispered the answer. This is for the person who fits that answer.

Given everything he's done, all the horrible and unforgivable things, Natsu never in his life believed he would find anyone to give this to. He was never searching for anyone, believing he was too unworthy for such things. However, in a musty, old bookstore he saw Lucy for the first time and began to think otherwise.

"Get a grip on yourself," Natsu chided himself as he walked out of the armory, the wall closing behind him. A quick glance at his watch made him pick up the pace. He tucked the velvet box into his coat pocket and grabbed his keys.

As he tried to lock his front door, the keys slipped from Natsu's grasp and fell to the floor. He couldn't stop the slight tremble in his hands.

"For fuck's sake…" Natsu swore under his breath as he bent down to pick up his keys.

The elevator chimed announcing the arrival of an unexpected guest. Natsu tensed. His reflexes kicked in and his hand was already on his gun. He kept his eyes on the elevator doors at the end of the hallway, waiting for the moment the doors slid opened and—

"Lucy!" He hastily shoved the gun back into his coat, so she wouldn't know how on edge he was. He snatched his keys from the ground and stood as she walked over to him. "Did Richard drop you off here? He was supposed to take you—"

"Here," Lucy interrupted, not meeting his eye. "I know I'm a little early." She laughed awkwardly and shifted the bag on her shoulder.

She's probably worried Loke might see us…was this a mistake? The velvet box in his coat felt suddenly heavy.

"May I come in?" Lucy asked, her eyes staring at the door.

Natsu brushed his doubts aside. "Of course." He opened the door and flicked on the lights. Cana's Christmas decorations came to life again. "Sorry, I wasn't expecting company so it's..." he trailed off, not really knowing how to describe his apartment.

The furnishings were all picked out by Mira. Natsu had given her full authority over the decor and the responsibility of stocking it with the basic necessities when he was away. Mira leaned toward a modern style for this apartment with a hint of farmhouse touches. It was definitely several steps away from a typical bachelor pad. The Christmas decorations also made it seem more lively. Like someone actually lived here.

Natsu never really thought of his apartments as anything but places to recharge and re-equip. They were just a step above in comfort compared to the Organization's safe houses. He never thought how someone would view it or even cared what they thought of it before. It wasn't like he entertained. Natsu was a private person and for good reason. There was an entire armory next door. Not something average people had. Or wanted people knowing he had.

Now he was wondering what Lucy thought of his place as she walked in and looked around, an unreadable expression on her face.

"It's so festive in here," she said, immediately walking over to the tree. She reached out and touched one of the wooden ornaments. The rocking horse twirled from her touch, bringing it to life for a brief moment. Lucy smiled and her eyes finally lit up with the same brightness he was used to seeing. She turned to him and as their eyes met, the brightness dimmed.

Natsu couldn't help but wince internally. Was being with him that uncomfortable? Had he misread her tone on the phone last night? Did she not want to be here?

"Do you...er...Would you like something to drink?" He offered, heading toward the kitchen area. "I have wine." Natsu picked up the bottle Cana had given him.

"No, thanks. I'm fine." Lucy responded as she shrugged off her coat while absentmindedly looking at the nutcracker standing in the corner.

"Here. Let me take your coat then." Natsu reached out his hand but Lucy held the coat tighter to herself.

She frowned and looked away. "Sorry, I can't stay long."

"Oh, right." Natsu laughed it off awkwardly. He was messing things up. Why was everything feeling all wrong?

"Natsu," Lucy looked at him, and he could see she was silently warring over something. "Are we alone here?"

"Yes." Is that what's bothering her? But we were alone together before. "No one is on this floor but us."

Lucy nodded and took a step closer. "And if I started screaming at the top of my lungs, no one could hear me, right?"

"Lucy?" He took a step back unsure of what to say. Was she scared of him now? Did Loke say something to make her fear him? "Why are you asking me this?"

"Because, even if I whisper," her voice trembled as tears slid down her face. "I'm scared he'll hear me." Lucy clenched her hands into the folds of her coat, hugging it closer to her like a protective barrier. "I'm scared Loke will hear me not telling you to forget about me like I was told to do. That, instead, he'll hear me asking you to please..."

Her voice cracked on the word.

"Help me."

A/N:

Hello all!

We are living in strange and moving times.

I know we all have our struggles and hardships during this never-ending year. Just know I'm sending my love to you all.

As usual, thank you to the betas new and old who continue to help me in shaping this story. I hope this new chapter brings you some happiness.

Until next time.